Countdown
by Mishiko Shinsei
Summary: Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks. These tumors are “silent”. SxYY, if you squint. Warning: Character death. Rated for language and adult situations.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks. _

These tumors are "silent". S+YY, if you squint. **_Warning: Character death._ **

**Summer – Part 1**

**T-minus 365 – July 17**

"Well, fuck!"

That summed it up nicely. 'Fuck'. He was fucked. His life was fucked. Mokuba was fucked. Noah was fucked.

Everything was fucked.

A year. That's it. That's all he had left.

What the hell could he do in a year?

That bastard. Even dead he found a way to hurt him.

Standing abruptly, he storms out of the doctor's office, ignoring his suggestions of 'alternative treatments'. As if he'd ever allow some quack to experiment on him. The last thing he wanted was to become some drooling idiot or some loser addicted to painkillers. There's nothing to be done but put his affairs in order. Hn. Like they weren't already in order. He kept them in order, at first for Mokuba's sake and now for both Mokuba and Noah.

Mokuba and Noah. What's going to happen to them? True, at 17 and 20 they weren't kids anymore, but it wasn't like they were ready to take over the company right now. Well, Mokuba is. Noah still needs some coaching.

As he climbs into the back of his limo, he swallows what is sure to be a sob. He hasn't cried in nearly 10 years. He can't afford to cry now. Shakily, he runs a hand through his hair and exhales, forcing calm.

"Back to the office, sir," the driver asks, lowering the privacy partition slightly.

"No. Just drive. I need to take care of some things," he replies, opening his ever-present laptop and pulling out his cell phone.

Three hours later, he's updated his will, transferred large sums of money into Noah and Mokuba's trust funds, added Noah and Mokuba to all of his bank accounts, including the Swiss ones, planned the house account expenditures for the next two years and started the draft for his 'farewell' videos. He'll work on the plans for his memorial service tonight when the boys are asleep.

Dropping the privacy screen slightly he gives the driver the order to take him back to the office. Though it's after seven o'clock, he can still put in a few hours work.

He sighs to himself, fighting back another emotional outburst. From now on, he'll have to work even harder. The doctor couldn't tell him how long before his personality started to change and he started to lose motor function, but he knew it would happen. That's just the way tumors were. Fuckers.

Speaking of fuckers, Gozaburo had to know. He had to know that having Seto around all of those chemicals would eventually do something to him. All this time he thought he'd won and that he and Mokuba were safe when Gozaburo went through that glass. What a fairy tale. There is no 'happily ever after'.

Stepping from the limo, Seto heads to his office carrying a heavy heart along with his laptop. It's well after midnight when he finally goes home.

**T-minus 345 – August 7**

'I'm not going to tell them. Mokuba and Noah. I'll leave them blissfully ignorant. They've had enough shit to deal with in their lives, not to mention what they'll have to deal with when I'm gone.'

He begins typing furiously, throwing off his fatigue as he continues writing out his plans for the next four to ten years for Kaibaland development. The crystal clock on the bookcase chimes 2:30 am, but he has to keep working. After writing out the plans for Kaibaland, he's determined to get a start on the plans for his latest dueling technologies. Then there are the newest games he's designed for development, which need documenting. Most of these ideas he stores in his head to keep them from being pilfered by one of his less-than-trustworthy employees. Now he has to get all of his thoughts and ideas down, lest they rot in his grave with him. Everything had to be in place for his demise. No loose ends.

'Note to self: Fire that board of idiots while still lucid. Can't have those pricks driving Mokuba any crazier than he'll be without me. I'll definitely leave Mokuba in charge of Kaiba Corp. Noah's nowhere near ready for that level of responsibility, even though he's older,' he concludes.

Pausing in his rapid-fire typing on the laptop, he takes a moment to look at the picture of Mokuba, Noah and himself from their trip to Hawaii last summer.

'It's hard to believe that Noah has only been in our lives for three years,' he smiles.

The brilliant young man had spent nearly his entire childhood in an orphanage, placed there by his father, Gozaboro Kaiba at the age of five.

Seto frowns. He hated remembering Noah's story.

'That bastard Gozaboro threw his own son into an orphanage because he wanted to "teach his mother a lesson" about disobeying him', he snarls to himself.

Letting out a sigh, he grasps the heavy silver frame, lifting it to study Noah's smile. Unbidden, the memory of their conversation two years ago plays in his head.

_January 8th; 11:30pm:_

Noah knocks on Seto's bedroom door.

"What," the CEO snaps, continuing the rapid typing on his laptop.

"Seto, do you have a minute," Noah calls quietly.

Pausing a moment, he decides against sending the young man away. He'd been coming by every night since New Year's and Seto kept saying, "Not tonight, maybe tomorrow." There must be a reason for Noah's persistence.

"No, but come in anyway," he replies.

"I can come back tomorrow," Noah offers.

"No! Whatever it is, come in and tell me now," he grumbles, trying not to sound as agitated as he felt.

Slowly the door opens and an unusually solemn Noah sits on the bed, head lowered.

"Noah…" Seto frowns.

"Did I ever tell you where I lived before you found me," Noah query's, looking up at his big brother.

Seto shakes his head.

All he knew about Noah began with Mokuba's school project, a family tree. He'd done a random search for the last name Kaiba just to see of there were any long-lost relatives out in the world. Seto figured it to be a waste of time since any relatives would have crawled out of the woodwork long ago, given the size of Gozaboro's estate when he died. No one had come forth to claim any inheritance or even attend the funeral.

But when Mokuba ran the search, he did it worldwide. A 'Noah Kaiba' turned up in Sydney, Australia. At first, Seto couldn't believe it. How could there be a Kaiba left in the world who didn't want any of Gozaboro's money. Seto figured Mokuba had made it up and did his own search, getting the same results.

Seto then hired a detective to find out more about 'Noah Kaiba' and eventually confronted him personally. He still thought it must have been Mokuba's generous heart that compelled him to take the young man back to Japan.

"I lived in a orphanage in Sydney," Noah begins, pulling Seto back from his recollections. "M-my…fa-" he pauses and swallows, calming himself, unable to use _that _word for that man. "Gozaboro sent me there when I was five. He changed my name and had me listed as the 'illegitimate child of a call girl recently deceased; no known relatives.' He said he did it to "teach my mom a lesson" because she'd taken me to see my grandparents when he'd ordered her to stay away from them."

"What," Seto hisses, wishing he could kill the bastard all over again.

"I remember her crying when the men pulled me out of her arms. That's the last time I saw her. She died when I was seven. I don't know how. I didn't find out until I moved here with you. I did a public records search a few weeks after I arrived."

He pauses.

"I couldn't speak English when I got to Sydney, so I couldn't tell anyone what was going on and that I wasn't an orphan. It took me almost two years to learn the language because no one would help me. I didn't have any friends and the people running things ignored me or treated me like shit. When I turned 10, I broke into the computer files and found out what Gozaboro had said about my parentage.

"Later after learning how to search the Internet, I found out that the orphanage I'd been abandoned in had been cited numerous times for abuse and neglect and had avoided being shut down due to the legal wrangling of a powerful, but shady law firm. By hacking into the law firm's system, I found out that they were under retention by Kaiba Corp. Gozaboro kept the place running just to torture me.

"I ran away when I was 14 and lived on the streets for a few years. I'd just gotten an apartment after having a steady job for five months when you found me."

Seto's rage threatens to overwhelm him, but he holds his tongue, fearing any outburst would shut Noah down and he'd have to hear all of this later. He couldn't deal with hearing any more of this story later. It would be now or never.

"I knew about you and Mokuba," Noah begins again. "And I knew when Gozaboro died. I knew I could have come back and claimed my place as his true heir, but I didn't want to. I'd seen you duel and I'd seen you in business related interviews. I knew I'd have to fight you for control of Kaiba Corp. and it just wasn't worth it to me. Even though everything was rightfully mine, I didn't want anything more to do with Gozaboro Kaiba."

Silence blanketed the room for a few minutes before Noah stood to go.

"Well, that's all I wanted, Seto. Sorry for the interruption, but I thought you'd want to know."

Seto watches him leave, heart heavy, but anger still strong. He knows he's no good to Noah until he calms down. With some effort, he's able to reign in his temper about thirty minutes later and goes off to find his not-so-little little brother.

After checking his room, the living room, the game room and the entertainment room, he finds him out by the pool smoking.

"Nasty habit," he growls feeling a bit of his anger return. "It's not allowed on my property."

"Oh, sorry, Seto," Noah stammers, grinding the cigarette out in the makeshift ashtray of aluminum foil in his hand. "I started when I lived on the streets and I'm afraid I haven't been able to kick the habit yet."

Seto narrows his eyes dangerously.

"Has Mokuba seen you?"

"No! Of course not! Actually, this is the first time I've lit up here. I usually do it elsewhere. It's just that it's really late and I needed a smoke after telling you everything."

"Is that why you take walks four to six times a day?"

Noah chuckles guiltily.

"Yeah. Wow, didn't know you knew about that. You're keeping tabs on me, I guess. I understand not trusting me. After all, I'm just some stranger who moved into your life and house a year ago."

He turns away from Seto's intense gaze, feeling even more the outsider. He knew he should have never come here.

"Of course I keep tabs on you," Seto grunts, crossing his arms. "I'll always keep tabs on my family."

Noah turns to him, startled.

"Now get back in the house. It's 2:30 in the morning and we both have work in the morning. While I, as CEO can be late, you as my employee cannot."

Noah smiles, doing as he's told and Seto heads back to his room.

T-minus 343 – August 9 

After pulling that all-nighter the day before yesterday, Seto lost three-fourths of yesterday to sleep.

'I've got to regulate my time better,' he broods. 'I can't afford to miss any days. That useless little trip down memory lane cost me valuable work and sleep-time. From now on, I'll plan to sleep from 1:00 am to 5:00 am. That should give me ample rest for the time being. I'll add an hour or two later if necessary.'

Checking his watch, he sees that it's 11:45 pm. That gives him another hour for work, which he definitely needs. The Kaibaland plans he input before somehow became corrupted and he had to purge and enter them again. Luckily, he was able to print most of them out so he had the majority of his last-minute notes as well. Even so, he'll have to do the bulk of the work tomorrow.

At 12:45 am, he saves once more and shuts the laptop, locking it. By 12:57 am, he's showered, dried and brushed. By 1:02 am he's asleep.

**T-minus 306 – September 10 – San Francisco, CA**

He stands on the pier with his eyes closed, enjoying the salty wind blowing off the bay and around him, whipping even his perfect tresses out of place.

He'll miss the sea. Even though he spends more time flying over it than being on, in or near it, he'll miss it just the same.

And the wind. He'll miss the wind. He'll miss its howls during the worst thunderstorms and its fierceness when he fights it while flying.

Flying. Gods, how he'll miss flying. Maybe when it's almost his time, he'll just take his dragon up for one last flight and never return. That's how he should go, flying in his magnificent blue eyes, not wasting away in some sterile, white tomb.

Sighing to himself, he opens his eyes. Back to reality. Even if he wanted to follow through with such a plan at the end, he's not there yet.

**T-minus 300 – September 17**

His flight back from San Francisco, CA was delayed due to fog for three hours, which put him three hours behind. Counting that and recovery time from jet lag, he lost another two days!

Fuck!

At least he got some work done while he waited to see that specialist, Dr. Corey, not that it did him any good. He said the same thing to Seto the other four specialists had, he could try the experimental/"cutting edge" crap, or he could die. Traditional treatments wouldn't work on his particular tumor. The fast-growing, grade four, malignant, astrocytoma had already started to infiltrate his frontal lobe.

"Fairly soon," Dr. Corey had warned, "Your behavior may start to change. And you may find it more difficult to think things through. Your sight and memory may soon be affected as well."

With that bit of knowledge and Dr. Corey's concurrence with the other specialists, Seto pressed himself to work even harder. He had to get everything down before he forgot it all and before he couldn't think straight.

Losing those two days mattered more now than they would have two months ago.

He still hadn't finalized the farewell videos to his brothers, which was bad because he needed to get them taped soon so he could edit them, if necessary. He definitely wouldn't trust either task to outsiders, as all he'd need would be for one person to tell a tabloid and his brothers would know everything. He needed them to stay innocent of this situation. He would stress about it enough for all of them.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.  
_

These tumors are "silent". S+YY, if you squint. **_Warning: Character death._  
**

**Fall– Part 2**

**T-minus 265 – October 22**

His heart thumps along with his footfalls on the pavement. Running the track around his house calms him. At least it does today.

He'd been reading in his study; the first time off from documenting and arranging he'd willingly taken since that day.

And what was his reward for slacking?

At first he attributed the blurry words to fatigue, closing and rubbing his eyes for a temporary reprieve. But the quick cure didn't work. The next thing he knew, the room began growing dim. Panic struck.

No! Not yet! He still had too much to do! Not YET!

Scrambling to his feet, he stumbled from the room, breath coming rapidly, and blackness creeping around the edges of his vision. Stumbling forward, he began climbing the stairs, not sure why or where he was going, but just needing to move.

And then, just like that, he could see again.

He fell where he stood on the stairs, gasping, fighting tears, and regaining control. Noah stepped from the game room a few minutes later to see his brother pulling himself up shakily.

"Seto, are you all right? Seto…?"

He gripped the railing tightly, forcing steadiness in his voice.

"I'm fine, Noah. Just tripped."

He straightened his back and continued confidently up the stairs.

Noah frowned. Tripped? Seto? Never happen. Something's wrong. And it must be big for Seto to lie about it.

In his room, Seto took an ice cold shower to shock him back into reality, threw on jogging clothes and sneakers and headed for his track. He needed to do something to center himself and a brisk run won out.

Rounding the half-mile track for a 10th time, he begins admonishing himself.

'That's what you get for trying to take it easy. You don't have time for "easy". And panicking like that is unacceptable! What if something similar happens when you're with Noah or Mokuba? Or at Kaiba Corp.? You can't show a weakness! They can't know! Not yet. Not until everything's ready.

'And don't forget to fire that board of losers! That has to be done. In fact, do it tomorrow. That will be the first order of business.'

Without missing a step, he slips his phone over his ear.

"Call Kokyoine at home," he commands.

The Board Chairman answers after three rings with a curt, "Yes, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Tell the board I will be meeting with them at 9:00 am sharp tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba. I'll take care of it."

"Good."

He hangs up the phone and resumes his run. One more mile and he'll call it quits. Then he'll shower and dress and take the boys out for dinner. One thing he did learn from this afternoon's episode, he needs to spend more time with them before it's too late.

**T-minus 263 – October 24**

I can't believe I agreed to this! Mokuba is having that bunch of losers over for a Halloween party in a few days.

He must have caught me the day I was a little loopy from the anti-seizure medication.

Shit!

I can't believe I agreed to let them in my house! I hope the Mutt's potty trained. And I swear if friendship girl starts in on me…

At least Yami's supposed to come, one intelligent soul out of the bunch. Though why he continues to hang with those idiots is beyond me.

…In the end, I guess I'll miss all of them too.

Well, maybe not friendship girl.

**T-minus 254 – November 2**

The cat's out of the bag.

Partially.

Yami knows. He found out accidentally at Mokuba's party.

Actually, it's a wonder no one else realized anything. I guess the personality and behavioral changes have started. That's the only thing that could explain what happened.

Unless the side effects of the brain swell medication kicked in. I did feel really good before the vertigo medicine wore off. Whatever the cause, I definitely had an out of body experience. I could feel and see myself acting weird, but I couldn't stop it.

First, I complemented Yugi on his dueling ability.

Then I suggested Honda change the CD on my BOSE stereo system that even Mokuba has to ask permission to touch.

At some point, I found myself in a long conversation with the Mutt about cars….

But, the biggest, weirdest moment of all happened when I offered friendship girl my seat. I got up from my recliner and offered it to her. She didn't take it. I guess she thought I had it booby-trapped or something.

Heh. That would have been nice. I could have set it to propel her out the front door.

Yeah.

Priceless.

So, Yami caught me stumbling up the stairs. The vertigo medication had worn off and I needed to go take some more. Unfortunately, when vertigo starts, nausea kicks in. I'd made it halfway up the stairs before the world spun and I had to grip the railing to keep from falling back down. I don't know how long I stood there before I heard Yami's concerned voice behind me.

"Kaiba?"

"I'm fine," I ground out.

"Of course," he agreed, wrapping an arm around my waist and laying one of mine across his shoulders. "That's why you've been standing in that same position for five minutes. I'll just offer some minor support up the stairs"

"Hn."

We barely made it to the door of my room before I began praying to the porcelain god. Luckily, my master bath is set directly to the right of my bedroom door or that carpet would have been a smelly mess.

I washed my face and hands, rinsed my mouth and came out to find Yami looking in my dresser drawers.

"Care to tell me what you're doing, Pharaoh?"

"Looking for the rest," he stated casually, holding up one of my prescription bottles as he continued filtering through my underwear drawer.

I stood mortified for a moment before striding over to him.

"Hmm," he furrowed his brows, pulling out three more bottles, and then smirked as he held up a pair of leopard patterned briefs.

"Hey!"

"Kaiba… I didn't know you went for this sort of thing. Something your girlfriend likes?"

"I don't have a girlfriend!"

"Oh. Your boyfriend then?"

"No, no boyfriend either!"

"Hmm. Shame."

What? Is he...? No. No way.

"Give me those!" I snatched the embarrassing item from his hand, dropping them back into the drawer and slamming it shut.

He wandered away and sat on my bed, his eyes turning serious.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on or should I ask Noah or Mokuba?"

"They don't know."

I walked back into the bathroom, got a glass of water and took my vertigo medicine.

"What's going on, Kaiba."

"I'm dying. I have less than a year."

Stunned silence.

"What happened?"

"Brain tumor. Inoperable. Chemo can't touch it."

"So that's it? You've given up?"

I flopped back on my bed beside him.

"Acceptance isn't giving up."

"What about alternative treatments?"

"Hn. I'm not a Guinea pig, Yami."

"Not suggesting that you are. But you could see what's out there."

"Why get my hopes up? It would only make it harder to accept the inevitable."

He looked at me. Crimson eyes boring into mine.

"You surprise me, Kaiba."

"Why?"

"Don't you always say that you 'get what you need, when you need it'?"

"That's for cards when I duel."

"So?"

I got angry and sat up too quickly, my head spinning.

"This isn't some fucking card game, Yami! This is my life!"

Crimson bore into me again.

"Isn't that the biggest game of all? Shouldn't you do anything to win?"

I turned away from his clear logic.

"Get out," I mumbled.

He left without further prodding.

But I can't get what he said out of my mind.

Maybe I should do anything to win.

**T-minus 214 – December 12 **

Christmas is coming.

The goose is getting fat.

HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!

Fucking tumor. The personality quirks and behavioral changes have been occurring more frequently.

I've been forcing down giggles for the past three days. Yesterday, I had to leave a meeting to go laugh in my office. But it really wasn't my fault. Tagachi had on that stupid blue suit that's obviously too small and he looked so funny!

Yami came by my office a week ago to check on me and we talked about my options again. He hasn't let up since the Halloween party. His persistence is annoying, but I do appreciate it.

Hn. Personality shifting again.

Anyway, I told him that I'd contacted Dr. Corey in San Francisco to see what I could do. The Doctor said that he'd need me to come back in so he could categorize the tumor again. So, I told Yami that I'd be going back to San Francisco at the end of this week. Yami offered to accompany me for moral support and out of nowhere I started bawling like a baby. He closed my office door and held me on my couch for twenty minutes before I calmed down. I told him if I ever heard about it again, he'd wish he never got out of that puzzle.

Fucking medication side effects.

I haven't slept for three days. Unless you count passing out in the limo for the thirty minutes it takes to get to and from Kaiba Corp. Wait, there was that two-hour nap I took after the conference call yesterday. That's something.

I must have eaten thirty bars of chocolate in the last two weeks. And I can't get rid of that fucking rash on my thigh, or the one on my side. And that one on my right arm is really driving me crazy.

At least I have everything ready just in case I don't get just what I need when I need it. My will has been finalized. The boys' farewell videos are done. I also did a separate video for Yami. I even did a video for that bunch of losers. (I must have been having a personality shift when I did it, but it seemed impractical to erase it once finished.) All the paperwork has been signed to install Mokuba as CEO of Kaiba Corp. in my place. That idiotic board is history. The household budget is done for the next five years. All of my plans and development ideas for Kaiba Corp., Kaibaland and duel monsters are input on a special laptop that I've locked in my room safe, the back-up CDs in safe deposit boxes under Mokuba and Noah's names. My memorial service is paid for and set. The bank accounts are all set up with the boys' names.

But Christmas really is coming and I haven't even started my shopping yet. And I have no idea what to get Mokuba and Noah this year.

I know what **I** want.

I want to see next Christmas.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks. _

These tumors are "silent". S+YY, if you squint. _Warning: Character death._

**Winter – Part 3**

**T-Minus 203 - December 23**

He glares at the pile on his office sofa.

'I can't believe I bought gifts for those idiots,' he grumbles to himself. 'I really am losing it. If I didn't have a reason to get rid of this tumor before, I do now. Anything that makes me do crazy shit like this _has _to go. I don't even remember what the hell I bought!'

He continues to fume, trying to decide if he should just chuck it all, give it to charity as a write-off or actually give the gifts to those intended.

'Hn. They'd probably drop dead from the shock. Wait that could be amusing to watch. Yeah, I'll give them their gifts for the pure entertainment value,' he decides, grinning evilly.

'Now since that's settled, back to Noah and Mokuba's gift.'

He turns back to his laptop and continues making the travel plans. After weeks worrying about what to get the most important people in the world to him for what is likely to be their last Christmas together, it just hit him.

They would go on an extended vacation, just the three of them.

And then he'd tell them everything.

Maybe.

He still wasn't sure about that part. Then again, he probably wouldn't have much of a choice. His behavior had become increasingly erratic, the insomnia was starting to drive him even crazier than he already was from the mood swings, and the rashes still plagued him, despite being on different seizure medication, his vision cut out twice just yesterday.

Not to mention falling up the stairs this morning.

Yeah. Up.

He had to tell them. Noah had already begun looking at him like he knew something.

Besides, part of the time they'd be on vacation, he'd be undergoing treatment in a new clinical trial in San Francisco, CA set up by Dr. Corey.

They'd leave January 10th and come back sometime in mid-February. He'd already talked to Mokuba's teachers and set up things to run smoothly at Kaiba Corp. in his absence. And since Noah worked for him, he could give him as much time off as he wished. He smiled to himself. This would be the best Christmas gift ever.

He'll get Yami to look after the house, with express instruction not to allow friendship girl, the Mutt, Otogi or Honda anywhere past the front room. And if anyone but Yami touched _anything_ in the entertainment center, heads would roll!

His brow wrinkles. When had he and Yami become such good friends? When had they become friends, period? Were they friends? Or had he latched on to Yami for his own sanity as the Pharaoh tended to deal with him in a fairly straight-forward manner? And what was Yami's point anyway? Why hang around now and not before?

'Is it out of pity because he knows I'm dying? Or…or is he gloating, knowing that when I die he'll probably retain the 'King of Games' title forever?' he frets.

At that thought, he pauses in his travel plans, fingers slipping from the laptop keys.

'Maybe he's just using me to inflate his own ego.'

For some reason, thinking that Yami isn't as supportive as he's acted really bothers him. He'd gotten used to having his rival around; gotten used to bouncing treatment options off of him; gotten used to losing his composure, believing Yami would never use it against him. What if he was wrong? What if Yami aired everything to that band of losers he hung with and they sat around and laughed at 'poor, pitiful, doomed Seto'?

What if his treatment suggestions weren't to keep him around, but to kill him faster?

Something wet lands on his hand and he realizes he's crying.

Shit! Fucking tumor!

Scrubbing the tears from his face and eyes, he checks his watch to see the time in San Francisco, which he'd programmed in after the last visit. He'll call that doctor tomorrow and cancel everything. He wouldn't be some lab rat so that Yami and his friends could laugh about him after he's gone. Fuck him! Fuck them all! He'll die with dignity!

He'll go on vacation with his brothers and let the servants take care of the house.

Fuck Yami!

Stabbing his intercom button, he orders his secretary to cancel his lunch date -

"Not date! Plans! Lunch **plans** with Yami Mutou! Cancel them!"

"Umm, yes sir, Mr. Kaiba."

He sits back in his chair with a huff.

'There, that's done! Shit! Now I have to change my vacation plans again! Fucking Yami! Shit! Now my head hurts!'

Reaching in the right hand desk drawer, he grabs the bottle of pain killers, dumping two in his hand and swallowing them without water.

"Fucking Yami," he grumbles, throwing the bottle back into the drawer.

Closing his laptop, he leans back in his chair and closes his eyes, forcing himself calm.

Five minutes later, he re-opens the laptop and starts working on something company related. He'd change the travel plans later. Maybe. Why not go to San Francisco anyway? It's a great city. And neither Mokuba nor Noah had seen it yet. No, he'll just leave the trip alone. Try as he might, he can't help but feel a little sad losing at least the illusion of a friend.

He stops typing and leans back in his chair, steepling his hands to gaze at the mound of gifts again. If he wasn't going to deal with Yami anymore, then he shouldn't give out those gifts either. Not even for the entertainment value. He sighs to himself, momentarily at a loss.

"Are you better now," a familiar voice inquires behind him.

Whirling in surprise, his eyes widen at the sight of Yami casually leaning against the tinted window, arms folded.

"You…! How the hell…! How long have you been here!" Seto sputters.

"I helped you bring the gifts in," Yami replies calmly.

"You helped…? But…? What time is it?"

"4:30."

"What? No, that can't be right. I haven't…I cancelled lunch, so it has to still be morning."

"We got back from lunch and shopping at 2:15. We talked for a minute or two about where you wanted to go for dinner, and then you started looking at the gifts and spaced out for about an hour. Suddenly you started typing on the laptop and smiling, and then stopped abruptly, frowned, started crying, and cancelled our lunch plans. You took some pain killers, _mentioned_ me, paused for a few minutes, typed on the laptop some more, and then went back to looking at the gifts."

Seto falls back in the chair again, shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Gods, Yami. I'm losing time now. I don't remember anything after coffee this morning until seeing those gifts. This is fucked up."

Yami pulls a chair over and sits next to him, quietly placing a hand on top of one of Seto's, offering a smile of consolation.

'Hn. I guess I really do have a friend,' Seto admits.

**T-minus 192 - January 3**

Christmas turned out better than I'd imagined.

Although none of the losers dropped dead from shock. Pity. Hn. I guess that would have put a damper on things, though.

Mokuba and Noah were speechless when I gave them their gift. When the shock wore off a few hours later, Mokuba came crying into my arms. (I know it meant much more to him than Noah.) He didn't care that we were in the middle of dinner at the time. We had to excuse ourselves for a while until he calmed down.

I also managed to shut the Pharaoh's mouth with my gift. I knew he had a thing for armbands, so had a pair custom made in solid gold; one with his true name, Atemu, in ancient Egyptian and one with his adopted name, Yami, in modern Egyptian.

I don't know what emotion was flashed in his eyes when he looked at me, but I knew I'd done something special.

Making my brothers and Yami happy put me in such a good mood that I let the losers stay over after dinner.

Of course, no one but Yami was allowed past the bottom of the staircase. After all, I couldn't allow my home to get infested.

I'd have probably had to spray for fleas if the Mutt had come upstairs. HA! HA! HA!

Yami I let stay the week, sending him home after New Years'. By that time we'd gotten sick of each other.

Actually, I'd just gotten sick of him beating me.

Fucking 'King of Games'.

Oh, what did Yami get me? Three days after New Years', he handed me a package with a large sticker that said 'Do Not Open until Christmas.' I glared at him.

"Now you have even more incentive," he'd smirked.

Cocky bastard. I'm going to live just to shove it in his face.

And to find out what he got me.

I hope its non-perishable.

It better not be that five pound chocolate bar he knew I wanted.

Wait, I finished that off last week. Mmm. Tasty.

**T-minus 187 - January 8**

_Crimson eyes glitter over flushed cheeks and a smile of pleasure, sultry voice encouraging him, hands gripping his shoulders tightly, legs wrapped around his slim waist._

"_Yes, Seto! Just like that! Ahhh! Right there!"_

"_Yami," he growls, losing himself in those crimson depths. _

'_So close,' he breaths to himself, absently grasping Yami's stiffness and pumping hard._

_In a matter of moments, Yami erupts all over his hand, crying out Seto's name and gripping his shoulders hard enough to leave fingerprints._

'_So, so close,' he pants, closing his eyes and biting into a bronze shoulder, both hands now gripping Yami's waist fiercely._

_Losing the quick, deliberate rhythm he'd established earlier, his thrusts become more and more erratic until he explodes inside the tight passage._

He wakes with a start, sweaty and sticky.

'Hn. Definitely spending too much time with Yami if I'm dreaming about him _like that_. Must rectify that situation.

Throwing off the damp covers and slipping out of the sticky boxers, he heads for the shower.

As the water rinses the shampoo from his hair, he remembers that he, Mokuba and Noah will be leaving in two days, so the situation of too much time with Yami would rectify itself; for a little while at least.

Yami would meet them in San Francisco in two weeks. Seto had asked him to come while he under goes stage one of the clinical trial. Not that he really needed Yami's support, he simply figured Noah and Mokuba would want to talk about it since he hadn't planned on telling them anything until the day they arrived in San Francisco. Seto knew he'd be in the hospital overnight and that would give Yami plenty of time to explain everything to them.

Seto had told Yami about the laptop, the disks, the videos, Mokuba taking over Kaiba Corp., the memorial service; all of the plans made in preparation for his death. He hadn't meant to, but he'd had another behavioral out-of-body moment during a chess match and spilled everything. Thankfully, though they were sitting in the game room at the mansion, both Noah and Mokuba were out and didn't hear anything.

**T-minus 120 - March 20**

These treatments suck.

I've been practically living in the hotel bathroom these last two days. Noah decided to take this leg as Yami and Mokuba had each done two and he'd only done one.

Shit.

I hate being dependent on people. This shit better be worth it.

Two more treatments to go and then we just have to wait and see.


	4. Chapter 4

**Desidera:** Re: Brothers' reactions - Hey! Get outta my head! Re: switching narratives - Honestly, I didn't have a reason for that. It just fit well at the time. Thanks for the encouraging words! I hope you enjoy these next two chapters.

**Mezu:** Thanks for the compliment!

_Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks._

These tumors are "silent". S+YY, if you squint. _Warning: Character death._

**Spring – Part 4**

**T-minus 119 – March 21 - **_**Noah**_

I can't do this.

I know I offered…volunteered to watch over Set during this treatment, but…

"Hello?"

"Yami?"

He yawns loudly into the phone. "Noah? What time is it?"

"Umm, probably about 3:30 in the morning in Japan."

I can almost hear his frantic scramble out of bed. I knew he'd react this way if I called now. Good. I need him awake. I need him to get here as soon as possible.

"What's happened? Is Seto all right? Noah?"

"He's…as well as can be expected," I reply quickly. I don't want him panicked.

"Then what's wrong?"

I can tell him. I know he won't think any less of me.

"I-I can't do this," I confess. "I just can't watch Seto wasting away. My brother Seto isn't that…I just can't do it, Yami," I sigh.

From the silence on the line, I think I've misjudged him. Maybe he doesn't understand. Maybe he thinks I'm just as weak as I do. I take another drag from my forbidden cigarette. I haven't smoked in years, but Seto…I just needed something to calm my nerves and I couldn't very well go out and get plastered. I feel guilty enough leaving Seto alone for these few minutes while I escaped to make this call.

"Yami?"

"I'll be there as soon as possible."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I know it's hard seeing him like this. Mokuba and I have seen him in weakened states, you haven't."

"No."

No, I haven't. **My** brother Seto is a towering, imposing figure who I could confess anything to and lean on completely, not that frail, sickly man in the hotel room.

"I'll be leaving within the hour," Yami assures.

"Okay."

I hang up the cell phone and finish my cigarette, desperately trying to convince myself that I'm not a bad brother.

**T-minus 107 – April 1 – **_**Mokuba**_

Noah got back a few days ago. Yami stayed with Seto. The doctor suggested that Seto stay there for the last treatments instead of trying to fly back home. I agreed. After all, it wasn't like he _had _to come home. I run Kaiba Corp. now. Seto hadn't been to the office since we got back from vacation except to set things up for me.

He can be so stubborn sometimes! After the first two treatments in January, I could see that Seto wasn't going to be able to fly back and forth, run Kaiba Corp. and get treatments. Something had to give. It took Yami and I three weeks to convince him that handing the company over to me now would not be admitting that he was going to die, but a smart business move.

"Seto," I'd argued," if your enemies see you like this, suffering from memory loss, obviously fighting to contain your emotions, sickly, they're going to think it's a good time to stage a hostile take over, and they'd be right! Think about it, if you saw Pegasus trying to operate in this state, would you hesitate to make a move on him?"

I knew appealing to the ruthless businessman in him would work far better than Yami's failed attempts to convince him with logic and medical realities. He'd kicked us both out of his room that day, but relented a few days later. We sent out a press release that I'd be taking over temporarily in Japan while Seto "explored the American markets." Yami had suggested the 'recovers from exhaustion' ploy, but I knew Seto wouldn't allow for any hint of weakness on his part. Of course that meant we had to set up meetings for him in America, which further strained his already deteriorating mind, but it couldn't be helped if we were to keep up the façade.

Watching him on the video conference calls conduct business meetings by sheer force of will cemented my belief that he'd make it through this.

He won't die. He wouldn't give Death the satisfaction of beating him.

**T-minus 95 – April 14 - **_**Yami**_

Lightly, I stroke the damp hair back from his pale, gaunt face.

What I'd told Noah was true; Mokuba and I had seen Seto in weakened states. But not like this. Every breath was an effort, even with the oxygen mask.

"_He's quite a fighter,"_ Dr. Corey had remarked earlier. _"Frankly, I didn't think he'd make it this far. When I suggested this trial, I told him that the chance of success wasn't high, ten percent at best, but he opted to go for it. Remarkable. He's a medical miracle, you know. The last of the 85 other patients in the trial died two months ago."_

"_Seto's always been a pioneer,"_ I'd whispered because that was all I could think to say at the moment. Ten percent at best. He'd certainly kept that bit of information to himself. I guess he didn't want us to worry.

One more treatment to go. Dr. Corey postponed it until next week, trying to give Seto more time to recover from the last one. He admitted that he didn't have a clear plan of action, as Seto would be the first to complete the treatment. They were 'completely off the grid' he'd confessed.

Seto would be glad to know that when he woke up. Being the first to survive the trial he'd wear like a badge of honor. One thing he loved more than anything was winning.

**T-minus 80 – April 29 - **_**Yami**_

We lost him today.

For nearly ten minutes, the heart monitor registered only a line where a steady beat danced before. I watched with horror and fascination as they worked on his still, emaciated form, praying to the gods to spare my friend.

Either they heard me or Seto is just too stubborn to give up, because I saw him gasp with life as the steady beat returned to the monitor, faint, but there. Dr. Corey beamed.

Though he didn't have to, Dr. Corey checked on Seto regularly himself. He'd just happened to be there when Seto...died and went to work on him immediately, telling me to press the emergency button on the wall, which brought nurses and other doctors running.

Since the last treatment a few days ago, really since early March, Dr. Corey had become Seto's one-man cheering section. He'd come by and just talk to his prone form about the treatment and how he would go down in history as the first to complete it, how strong Seto proved to be, and how proud he was of said strength. It warmed me to watch this compassionate man try with all his might to keep Seto's spirits up, even though my rival gave no outward sign of being able to hear him. He even encouraged me to talk to him, suggesting the sound of a familiar voice would be beneficial and possibly aid in his recovery.

So I started talking to him too. Randomly. About anything that came to my mind. I don't know if it helped him any, but it certainly made me feel better.

**T-minus 60 – May 19 – **_**Mokuba**_

I spoke to Yami today.

Seto's still unconscious. They won't know if the treatment worked for several weeks. Something about having to test his blood over a period of time to see if there are any changes in the cell count. I think he also mentioned a series of CAT scans.

Yami didn't sound too good. I think this ordeal is taking more out of him than he's letting on. I offered to take his place for a few days, but he adamantly protested. At first, I was angry. Who did he think he was telling me I couldn't see my own brother? But then I realized that Seto must look pretty bad for him to be so sure that I shouldn't come.

But I still want to. What if….? No, he won't die. I know he won't. He's too stubborn for that. He'll be home in a few weeks and everything will start going back to normal.

Noah has disappeared. Oh, he's still here physically, though he spends most of his time in the backyard smoking, but his spirit left some time ago. He hasn't been to work in ages and nothing I say brings any light to his face. He thinks he let us down by coming home after Seto's next to last treatment. Worse, he thinks he let Seto down. Until my brother can tell him otherwise, I don't think anything will change.

Yugi came over last night.

He understands that I haven't felt much like going out lately, so we just cuddled on my bed. I hope when Seto recovers it doesn't kill him to find out about us. It just happened, really. Yugi made it a habit of coming by to check on us, Yami mostly, and we started hanging out together. Once Yami went to San Francisco for the remainder of Seto's treatment, Yugi came by to see about Noah and me.

Then he started coming just to see me.

About a week after Noah got back, Yugi and I were playing chess in my room and I had a mild panic attack. I guess I'd been pushing myself too hard trying to be like Seto.

I would go to school everyday, then go straight to Kaiba Corp. until about 10:30 pm, then I'd come home and do my homework, getting to sleep at around 1:00 am. My mornings started at 6:00 am where I would do a little work from home, then leave for school, which started at 8:00 am. On the weekends, I'd spend most of Saturday trying to catch up with whatever I couldn't get done during the week. Once, I'd asked Noah for help, but the dead look in his eyes told me I couldn't count on him for anything right now.

So, Yugi and I were in my room and I suddenly couldn't breathe. He'd pulled me to him and held me as he murmured soothing words and lightly rubbed circles into my back. I don't know if I kissed him first or if he kissed me, but we found ourselves on my bed groping and kissing with wild abandon.

After two months, we haven't progressed much farther than that. I guess I'm still getting used to the idea because I've never been attracted to a man before.

And I really haven't taken much time to deal with it because of Seto. Yugi's been really patient with me and I love him for that.

**T-minus 55 – May 24 - **_**Noah**_

Mokuba had Yugi over again last night. He must have stayed because I saw him leaving early this morning. I wonder what they'll do if Seto comes home.

_When._ **When** Seto comes home.

Mokuba is sure he'll be okay. Yami too. Even Yugi thinks so.

I want to believe. Really I do. I don't know what I'd do if he never came home. I know Mokuba wouldn't kick me out, but I don't think I could stay here without Seto. Mokuba found me, but Seto saved me.

He listens to everything that happened when I lived on the streets and doesn't judge me. He paid for private tutors to make sure I finished high school. I think he would have paid for college if I'd wanted to go. He even let me take my time to stop smoking.

But the listening is what I'll miss most, his listening to me about my life. I never had anyone really listen to me before. But somehow, even with his horribly busy schedule, and spending time with Mokuba, he found time to listen to me. I have no illusions that Mokuba is his favorite, which is why his sacrifice of time is even more precious to me.

Please don't die, Seto.

**T-minus 40 – June 8 - **_**Yami**_

We spent my birthday in the air on our way back to Domino.

Seto's condition had stabilized, though the doctor still couldn't tell if the treatment worked.

"_He really needs to be awake for me to do some of the other testing,"_ Dr. Corey had stated_. "There's no sign of the tumor spreading, but it will take a few more weeks to see if it's shrinking. And until he wakes up, I can't check for any permanent motor function damage or personality changes."_

I'd looked at his pale face, knowing, instinctively that he wouldn't get better here. He'd been away from home too long. He needed to be near his family. He looked healthy enough now for them to see him, though he was still rather pale.

"_Can I take him home,"_ I'd asked.

"_I wouldn't advise it,"_ he'd replied. _"I can't guarantee his safety on a commercial flight."_

I'd smiled. _"He won't be on a commercial flight."_

I called Mokuba and told him I was bringing Seto home and that I needed one of the corporate jets to be specially equipped to do so. He then got one of the jet's engineers on the phone and I had him talk to Dr. Corey. The plane was ready in three days. Seto lay comfortably in a state-of-the-art hospital bed the whole way.

Now if he would only wake up.

**T-minus 36 – June 12 – **_**Yami**_

I've taken to sleeping in Seto's room to be near his bed just in case, even though we have nurses there 24 hours a day.

I'm just drifting off when I hear the moan. Scrambling from his king-sized bed, I nearly fall face first onto the floor. Catching myself in time, I look up to see a nurse hovering over him as his eyes blink slowly. A smile of joy nearly breaks my face in half.

**T-minus 28 – June 20 – **_**Noah**_

I must have talked for three hours straight. And he listened to every word. Seto's doctor had assigned us each a day to spend with Seto so we wouldn't tire him out by visiting all at once. Mokuba went first on Tuesday, I went second yesterday and Yami was spending time with him today.

But he listed to me. Actually listened. And he didn't blame me for leaving him. He even complemented me for making the decision to do what was right no matter what I felt.

"_Noah,"_ he'd intoned, _"you realized that you weren't up to the task at hand and acted in my best interest. You could just have easily left me there. Or left after you called Yami and not waited until he got there. But you didn't. I can't fault you for knowing your limitations. Stop beating yourself up about it."_

It was great having him back. Even if the treatments didn't work, I'd had one more chance for him to listen to me.

And to forgive me.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks. _   
These tumors are "silent". S+YY, if you squint. _Warning: Character death._   
**Summer Revisited – Part 5**   
**T-plus 26 – August 13 - _Yugi_**

The funeral is hardest on Mokuba.

Even with Yami and me to support him, he carries the largest burden. At the gravesite, I hold him tightly as he cries. Yami stands alone, not even allowing Joey to touch him. I worry about his state of mind since he hasn't slept since it happened.

I look up from Mokuba momentarily and see the turnout of folks. Quite a crowd considering he wasn't that popular. All of Mokuba's friends are here and all of my friends. Some of Kaiba's employees even showed up. There were also a couple of rather shady characters who I worried about briefly until I realized they weren't bothering anyone.

I look back at Yami. He really looks terrible. He must have been carrying this family for most of this year. I've got to figure out a way to help him. Maybe I should move in for a while and give him time to rest.

It's a shame Seto can't be here. I know he wanted to. But he'd had a setback and was too sick to attend. One of the anti-seizure medications sent his blood pressure through the roof and he had a mini stroke. The stroke temporarily cost Seto his speech and use of his right arm. That's why Mokuba had to make all of the arrangements, though Seto contributed as best he could, by writing out instructions. Yami acted as our conduit to Seto, who frequently became frustrated and angry with everyone and everything. It was obvious to everyone that the old Seto was back, personality intact.

Mokuba chokes back a sob and I hold him tighter to me. After this is all over and everyone has gone home, I'll take him back to my place for the night. Then I'll pack some things and move in with him for a while.

Rest in peace, Noah. Yami and I will take care of your brothers now.

**T-plus 35 – August 22 - _Yugi_**

It finally happened today.

Yami broke.

I found him in the back yard screaming and pounding the dirt. When I try to get near him, he fights me off, calling me some names in Egyptian that I'm sure don't resemble the one mom gave me in the least.

He tears at the ground in a rage, panting and screaming and yelling obscenities. I've never seen him like this so I don't know what to do. I move to try and reach him again when a hand on my arm stops me. It's Kaiba.

"Leave him be," he orders.

"What do you mean, Kaiba? How can I just leave him out of control like that? How can _you_ leave him like that?"

"I caused it."

"What!"

"He needed to stop worrying about us and start taking care of himself. He didn't listen to reason, so I told him to fuck off, he was annoying me."

"_Annoying you? Annoying you! You arrogant, ungrateful prick! After all I've given up for you…!"_

"_That was your choice. I didn't ask you to." _

"_You didn't ask…! You…you…Fuck you, Kaiba! Just fuck you! You…AAAHHHHHH!"_

"After he pushed me out the wheelchair I figured he'd finally blown a gasket like he's needed to since probably early February. After the nurse helped me back into the chair, I followed the screams out here."

"But why would you say that to him," I stare incredulously. "Do you really feel that way?"

"Haven't you been listening? He needs to stop worrying himself to death about us and take better care of himself. Or have you not noticed that he's looked like shit for the last month or so?"

"I…yes. Yes, I have. I've tried talking to him, but he wouldn't listen."

"He's stubborn. And a bit obsessive when it comes to taking care of those closest to him. Not that I'd know anything about that personally," he smirks.

I look back at Yami who's finally stopped screaming and is panting face down on the ground. Kaiba wheels over to him.

"Better?"

"You're still a prick, Kaiba."

"Thank you. Now get your ass in the house and clean up and then get out. I don't want to see you here for at least three days. And for gods sake, get some sleep! I could go on a world cruise using the bags under your eyes! I'll be fine, I assure you."

Slowly Yami rises to his knees and sighs deeply.

"You're right, Kaiba. Thank you."

"Hn. Whatever. Now get the hell out."

He wheels himself back into the house.

I help Yami up from the ground.

"Yami?"

"I'll be fine, aibou. See you in a few days."

He follows Kaiba.

**T-plus 65 – September 21 - _Kaiba_**

It's just a hunk of stone.

Noah's not here. He's gone forever. I don't know why Yami and Mokuba wanted me to come here. Did they think I'd break down in tears? Hn. That'll never happen. That fucking tumor is history.

History. I made history as the first person in the world to survive a tumor that advanced and that clinical trial. Heh. Like I'd ever give in once I'd decided to fight.

I glance to my left at Yami standing with his head bowed reverently. I owe him my life. And my sanity. And the sanity of my brothers. I lightly squeeze the hand that hasn't left mine for almost a year. Even when he wasn't with me physically, he was still there.

I look back to Noah's slim, black headstone. I really don't want to be here. I can't believe he's gone. It's so stupid. Who dies helping someone? He was just trying to get that kid out the street before he got hit. That's all. And the car didn't even hit him that hard, just bumped him really. It was just a fluke that he hit that point on the newspaper box when he fell. The doctors said the head trauma itself wasn't massive, just precise.

I really don't want to be here. And if I could walk comfortably on my own, I wouldn't be. But using this cane slows me down. I'll be glad to be rid of it. Just a few more weeks of physical therapy and I will be.

I can't wait to be back to work. I'm so fucking bored sitting around that house I can't stand it. I squeeze Yami's hand again. I've really treated him like shit lately. I'm amazed he hasn't tried to murder me in my sleep by now. Hn. As if he could get near me when I slept. All the floorboards outside my room make a certain sound when walked on and I never sleep deeply enough to miss it.

Not that I sleep much anyway. I think I slept enough from April to June to last a lifetime.

I look to Mokuba and Yugi on my right.

Mokuba and Yugi. Talk about a shock to my system. When Mokuba first told me, I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. Its not that I cared if he was gay, or bi in his case, I just didn't expect…Yugi.

"_Yugi? You're going out with Yugi?" _I'd asked him a few days later.

"_Yes."_

"_For how long?"_

"_A few months. Since March."_

"_What about that girl you liked?"_

"_Hanako?"_

"_Whatever."_

"_We broke up a few weeks after I took over Kaiba Corp."_

"_But Yugi?"_

"_Is it because he's a guy?"_

"_Pfft. Like I care about that. It's just…well…Yugi. One of the loser gang."_

"_What about Yami? He's one of the gang too!"_

"_So? I'm not going out with Yami. We're just friends."_

"_So you wouldn't go out with him just 'cause he's part of the 'loser gang'?"_

"_I didn't say that."_

"_So you would go out with him?"_

"_How did this conversation become about me? We were talking about you and your loser boyfriend!" _

He'd smiled.

"_So it's okay that Yugi's my boyfriend?"_

"_Hn. Whatever."_

I'd wheeled out of his room and gone to talk to Yami.

"_You knew about this,"_ I'd questioned vaguely.

He'd leaned back in the lounger by the pool.

"_You mean Yugi and Mokuba? Yes. Since the beginning."_

"_And you kept that to yourself."_

"_It wasn't my place to tell you. And Mokuba asked me not to."_

"_Hn. It definitely surprised me."_

"_Me too."_

I look back at Noah's headstone. I need to get out of here now.

"Yami?"

He turns to me.

"I'm getting tired."

"Okay."

We head back to the limo, leaving Yugi to comfort Mokuba.

**A/N:** One more to go! Then look for a sequel 'cause I really like these characters.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.

These tumors are "silent". S+YY, if you squint.

**Fall Revisited – Part 6 - Epilogue**

**T-plus 99 – October 25 – _Kaiba_**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR KAIBA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

They. Tricked. Me.

I glare at Yami, Mokuba and Yugi standing in front of the small crowd of people inside my duel dome.

"_I think you've lost your edge, Kaiba,"_ Yami had taunted a little over a week ago. "_Dueling you would probably be more boring than watching paint dry."_

"_Fuck you, Yami,"_ I'd responded.

"Words, Kaiba. Just words. Admit it. What's left of your feeble little brain probably couldn't out-duel Joey."

That had done it.

"_Alright, Pharaoh! You're on! Right here! Right now!"_ I'd screamed.

He'd gotten an evil grin and suggested something else.

"How about we duel in the dome, Kaiba? And let's do it next week, say…Thursday? Yes. Let's do next Thursday evening. That'll give you time to get your feeble little brain together and practice your concession speech."

"Concession speech! Why you little…" 

"_I'd love to sit here in this very comfy chair and listen to you rant about how much better a duelist than me you are, but I have a life. 'Til Thursday, Kaiba," _he'd tossed over his shoulder as he left my office.

It wasn't until three days later that I realized the significance of the day he'd chosen.

'He wants to beat me on my birthday', I'd supposed.

Now, looking around at the sumptuously laid out table, the gaggle of friends, family and appreciated co-workers and the lavishly decorated dome, which includes life-sized 3-D models of my three Blue Eyes and my Blue Eyes Ultimate, I know that Yami merely served as the bait to get me here.

Inwardly, I smile to myself while glaring at the three conspirators.

Mokuba approaches me first.

"C'mon, Nii-sama! Don't be like that! You know it was the only way to get you to come."

"It was all Yami's idea," Yugi pipes up from beside him, discretely linking their fingers together. "Actually, this whole thing was Yami's idea."

"Yep!" Mokuba retorts. "Yami said you needed something to celebrate making it to your 23rd birthday and we agreed. Then he told us his plan to set up the duel dome and who he thought we should invite and how he'd get you here without arousing suspicion."

"Sneaky bastard," I grumble, looking around for my former rival. He smiles at me from the punch bowl and I nod my head in acknowledgement.

Casually, I take in all the decorations and the huge cake taking over a table behind Yami.

Noah would have loved this.

He told me, the last time we spoke, that he'd never had a birthday party, even at the orphanage. Right then, I decided that I'd give him one for his next birthday. In fact, I was planning it in my head before…

But he never made it to his next birthday.

"Nii-sama?" Mokuba questions, touching my arm with concern. Damn. My face must be showing emotions again. It was easy enough to go back to scowling at everyone, but I have to re-train my face not to give feelings away.

"It's nothing," I reply, straightening my face and heading off to greet those employees Yami deemed worthy to invite. At first scan, it appears he did a fairly good job of picking those acceptable.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"No," I spit.

"Why not," Yami questions, obviously exasperated.

Too bad. He should have known better than to think I'd want to sit in front of all these people opening presents like some giggly little kid.

"I said no, Yami. And I mean no," I hiss back at him.

"Kaiba," he sighs deeply. I raise an eyebrow at his use of my last name. It's been quite a while. Not that it'll get him anywhere.

I cross my arms and glare down at him.

"Fine," he concedes "At least thank everyone for their gifts before they go."

"That's acceptable."

"Good."

We step back out into the throng of people from one of the storage rooms where Yami had dragged me. It's his fault if I embarrassed him.

"_Okay everyone," _he'd begun enthusiastically, addressing those gathered. "_Before we cut the cake, Kaiba will open gifts."_

"_Like hell!"_ I'd yelled, earning shocked expressions from Yami and his co-conspirators and murmurs from everyone else.

Yami and I had a brief, heated argument before he excused us and drug me into the storage room.

"Change of plans, everyone," Yami begins with a tight smile. "Kaiba wants to say a few words and then we'll have cake!"

**T-plus 100 – October 26– _Yami_**

I can't believe he's so stubborn!

All he had to do was open a few presents, not a big deal. Everyone there had worried about him while he battled the tumor. The least he could do was to open our gifts.

Maybe I expected too much of him. Or maybe I got used to him under the tumor's influence and forgot his true nature. Seto isn't a people person. He doesn't like being the center of attention unless he plans it. And he absolutely hates showing any kind of emotion, even to us.

And there I was trying to make him show gratitude to a room full of people he barely tolerates in the first place.

I guess I'm lucky all I got was a glare.

**T-plus 105 – November 2 – _Mokuba_**

Nii-sama finally got around to opening his birthday gifts today and now I know why he didn't want to do it in front of everyone. The delight on his face as he rips into each package and the elation of receiving gifts would have been obvious.

I wonder if this change is permanent? I wonder if we'll always be able to see his emotions now?

Hmm, could be bad for business.

"Shit!" Nii-sama exclaims as he scowls into a box at his feet.

"I thought I'd just imagined that," he mumbles.

"Imagined what?" Yami pipes up craning his head from a nearby chair to see inside the box. "Umm, what is that?"

"It's a Star Theatre," Nii-sama grumbles.

"And that is…?" Yami urges.

"Yeah, Kaiba, what is a 'Star Theatre'?" Yugi inserts.

"It projects the universe on your ceiling like in a Planetarium," he replies off-handedly.

I know my eyes get huge as a smile splits my face.

"Oh, COOOOOL!" I yell, bounding over to him from Yugi's arms and peering into the box. I can almost feel Nii-sama's eyes rolling behind me as Yami laughs at my enthusiasm.

"Why don't you go figure out how it works, Mokuba and I'll open the rest of these things later?" Nii-sama prompts.

Recognizing a delaying tactic when I hear it, I shake my head, sliding the box to the side and grabbing another from the pile. So far, he'd only opened four and I was determined he would open them all tonight. He'd delayed for over a week saying he 'had to work' or coming up with some equally lame excuse. Even tonight, he'd put it off until we'd had dinner. I won't be put off again.

As the pile to be opened gets smaller, I notice Nii-sama relaxing more.

He really has changed since the tumor.

Yami pushes Nii-sama playfully after a crass remark about Yami's parentage and Seto smiles. A genuine smile. One I haven't seen since the orphanage.

Maybe it wasn't the tumor that changed him.

**T-plus 106– November 3 – _Yugi_**

All in all, Kaiba's gifts were quite nice. Some even made him laugh, like Honda's blue Hawaiian shirt with the flamingos. After he stopped laughing, a sight I still have trouble believing, he explained that he'd once called Honda an idiot for asking him to contribute to a fund to save those "filthy, stupid, scavengers". Apparently, Honda thought this would be his revenge.

Anzu got him an elaborate Dream catcher, which I felt very thoughtful of her. His secretaries got him a mother-of pearl globe inlaid with gemstones. Jou was the one who gave him the 'Star Theatre', though he never did explain why he'd cursed about getting it.

Yami's first gift had Mokuba and I laughing again as it was a blue, summer yukata with a cherry-blossom motif, which was obviously too small.

"What the…?" Kaiba had sputtered. "Yami, what the hell is wrong with you? You couldn't possibly think I'd be able to fit this!"

Calmly, Yami stood, took the yukata and put it on, revealing its perfect fit.

"Think of it as a replacement for my favorite one that you threw up on," he drawled, re-claiming his seat.

Mokuba and I cried with laughter, especially when Kaiba tried and failed at a scathing response. Watching his mouth open and close like that kept Mokuba and I on the floor for quite a few minutes. We'd almost calmed down when Kaiba growled and pushed Yami onto the floor.

Yami's shocked face sent us reeling again. Mokuba and I had to ask for a break to get water and calm down before the rest of the presents could be opened.

Jii-chan got him an authentic, wooden, championship yo-yo with a note suggesting his recent brush with death should encourage him to play more. Yami read the note to us after Kaiba's eyes got cloudy and he shoved the note and box into Yami's lap. A heavy air settled over things until Yami steered him the next gift, a large box with 'Fragile' written all over it.

I remember Mokuba nearly having a heart attack yesterday when one of the house staff almost dropped it while bringing it here and into the living room. Several of Kaiba's employees had gotten together to give him an elaborate, gemstone bouquet almost three feet high. The petals were made of agate, jade, rose quartz and a bunch of other minerals I'd never heard of set in a cloisonné cachepot on a finished rosewood base. While Yami, Mokuba and I "ooh'd and aah'd", Kaiba smiled one of his terse smiles, but it didn't fool us. He was very pleased his employees thought to give him something both beautiful and valuable.

Mokuba, knowing his brother's love for fine clothes, gave him a 100 silk, hand-painted tie and muffler set to go with a tailored Armani suit, which he'd scheduled Kaiba to be fitted for on Monday afternoon, two days from now.

"That's why you needed to open these presents, Nii-sama," he'd grumbled when Kaiba noted the date for the fitting.

Knowing how much he enjoyed reading, languages and military history, I got him a book in German about World War I, a book in French about the significance of Bastille Day, a book in English about the Spanish-American War and a book in Russian about the Seven Years' War.

"I don't speak Russian," he'd mumbled picking up the last book.

"Not yet," I'd challenged, earning me a smirk of acceptance.

Yami's second gift, the real one, had us gaping in awe. After putting it on, Kaiba stood abruptly and left the room.

**T-plus 107 – November 4 – _Yami_**

A signet ring, lapis set in platinum, bearing his initials, SK, perfectly sized for the ring finger of his right hand. That's what I got him.

He'd mentioned getting one in February, right after the third treatment.

"_I always wanted one,"_ he'd confessed, "_but now, it looks like I might not live to get it."_

"_Whatever, Kaiba. You're not that helpless. I know you'll be challenging me to another duel next week,"_ I'd scoffed, doing my best to keep him annoyed and fighting.

The subject never came up again, so I couldn't be sure...but after opening the box that night, his eyes told me.

This time, I left him speechless.

**T-plus 123 – November 20 – _Kaiba_**

Yami wouldn't stop grinning.

Though we'd landed two hours ago and were enjoying a quiet dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, the smile hadn't left his face.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Yami," I venture, eager to hear him praise my Blue Eyes again.

"Seto, that was fantastic!" He gushes. "Now I know why you talked about flying so much. There's definitely nothing else like it!"

Secretly, I agree, with both the sentiment and the emotion. I hadn't been flying since months before the tumor. To feel the roar of those engines and the wind fighting my ascent once again…

It's a pleasure I thought Yami deserved to share. Smiling, I reach out and squeeze his hand firmly, warmed by his answering grin.

Shit. I hope the tumors' not back.

**A/N:** All gifts listed, or their base counterpart, are from the Smithsonian 2005 Holiday catalogue at www. smithsoniancatalogue .com. There will be a Christmas-based one-shot and two multi-chapter sequels to this, so stay tuned!


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